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Be Intentional…The Spirit of the Black and Hispanic Pre-law Conferences

By Scheril Murray Powell, J.D., National Competitions Coordinator, National Black Law Students Association

On November 13-15, 2015, attorney Evangeline Mitchell hosted the 9th Annual Pre-Law Conference in Houston, TX. This year’s conference had a little extra flavor with the addition of the National Hispanic Pre-Law Conference creating a joint conference. Mitchell identified a huge gap in the preparedness of minority law school students and decided to do something about it and created a nationwide pipeline from undergraduate institutions to law schools.

The experience was a life-changing one for these eager, hopeful students. Many of them are the first in their families to attend an undergraduate institution and now they are embarking on a journey into the unknown world of law school admissions.  They have to navigate through the murky waters of the law schools admissions council’s website and figure out how to set up their credentials, print transcript and letters of recommendation coversheets and register for the LSAT exam. Determination is critical for getting into law school and for an aspiring law student without a mentor or some type of guidance through the process, it may seem almost impossible. Law school admissions is a test of your tenacity, perseverance and fortitude! This Conference is an opportunity to level the playing field for these students. The Joint Pre-Law Conference built a bridge between where these students are and the law school students they need to become if they are going to be attorneys and catalysts for change.

The event kicked-off with a welcoming ceremony and plenary sessions, which included speakers such as Dean Leonard Baynes, of the University of Houston Law Center, Laura Gibson, president of the Houston Bar Association, Donald Guter, president and dean of the South Texas College of Law, Benjamin L. Crump, president National Bar Association, among other prominent legal professionals.

A recurring theme was the obligation of minority lawyers to fight injustice. In the words of Benjamin Crump when recalling that first call from Tracey Martin, father of Trayvon Martin, “If not us…then who? Who is going to stand up for our children?” He made it clear that, “no matter what type of law you are going to practice, you are all going to have an opportunity to serve.” He compelled the group of students to not ever let anything separate them from their conscience. Crump warned the group that he has witnessed our most talented, most gifted not speaking up about injustice because they claim it’s controversial. He shared stories of the young Thurgood Marshall hiding in swamps of Florida to escape lynch mobs to right the wrongs of society. Trailblazer Charles Ogletree emphasized the fact that the past generation is going to have to rest, and the next generation has to pick up the baton. In his words, “it is significant to think about what you can do as a lawyer.” Sitting in the audience, his words washed over me like an invitation to join my purpose in a life of advocacy.

The highlight of the weekend as a panelist, mentor and law school student was not when I was on the stage on the panelist, but during the one-on-one sessions I had with aspiring law school students. Rod Hickman, Sheena Williams and I spent Friday evening speaking with the students about their personal statements, resumes and law school applications.   We could tell that the students could feel how invested we were in their future success and we were going to be cheering them on until they crossed the finish line with the arrival of their first law school acceptance letter.

The conference closed with a “rite of passage” event which included the pinning of the law school students after they read the Aspiring Lawyers Success pledge. Sports and Entertainment attorney, Professor and sponsor of the event, Ricky Anderson encouraged us to embrace technology so we can take advantage of the opportunities available in the new global world. I left the conference inspired by the attorneys that I met, encouraged by the aspiring law students’ commitment and hopeful that they will share the knowledge that they gained with others so that we can see more students walk down the same path to changing the world for the better. As Dean James Douglas, of the Thurgood Marshall Law School said, “don’t plan for tomorrow – plan for 30 or 40 years from now – lawyers as social activists change laws.” As intellectuals and attorneys, we will have the ability to create the world we want to see 30, 40, 50 or even 100 years from now. It is critical that we are passionate and intentional with that plan.

PHOTO CAPTION: (Upper left photo) Scheril Murray Powell and Dean Douglas, Thurgood Marshall Law School.